Destinations: Colombo - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Bandarawela - Wattala / Seeduwa - Chilaw - Colombo
Duration: 5 Nights / 6 Days
Day 01: Colombo - Kandy
Upon arrival at the Colombo airport, you will be greeted by our warm and friendly tour representative. From the airport you will be taken to Kandy. You will be checked into a good hotel of the Kandy city. In the evening you will witness the cultural show. Overnight stay will be at the hotel in Kandy.
Day 02: Kandy - Nuwara Eliya
Next morning after enjoying a scrumptious breakfast, you will be taken for a city tour of Kandy. Kandy is an important culture site in Sri Lanka and was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings. It is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The name "Kandy" brings visions of splendor and magnificence. Kandy is filled with several legends, traditions and folklore which are still alive in the streets of the city. You will get chance to drive around the famous Kandy Lake built by the last Sinhala king, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe in 1798. You will also get an opportunity to visit the Kandy town and bazaar, the arts and crafts centre, a gem museum and a lapidary. Another place to visit in the city is the Temple of the Tooth Relic. From Kandy you will proceed to Nuwara Eliya. On the way, you will be visiting the Anjaneear temple in Pusselawa and a tea factory. The famous 18 feet statue of Anjaneear is located in Pussellawa. Thousands of devotees from India and Sri Lanka visit the famous temple of Anjaneear which is situated on a hill over looking the Kotmale reservoir area. On reaching Nuwara Eliya, you will be accommodated in a modest hotel where you will stay overnight.
Day 03: Nuwara Eliya - Bandarawela
After enjoying a delicious breakfast at the hotel, you will proceed to visit the Sita Aman temple. This famous temple is on the route to Hakgala along the Nuwara Eliya Badulla Road. The classical architecture of the temple will surely attract your attention as you head towards Hakgala Botanical Gardens from Nuwara Eliya. The present day temple is a modern building with its paintings, statues and pillars decorated with sculptures, all depicting the tale of Rama and Sita. In the rear side of the temple, a stream flows whereas from the front side of the temple, you can see the beautiful Hakgala peaks. After the brief visit of the temple, you will visit the Hakgala Botanical Garden. According to the legends from epic Ramayana, it is said that the Hakgala Botanical Garden was one of the pleasure gardens of King Ravana. It is believed to be the same place where king Ravana kept the dejected Sita, forcing her to marry him. Also, it was the same location where the heart warming meeting of Sita and Hanuman took place. During the British period the garden saw wide expansion, and today boasts of a wide variety of flowers including an excellent collection of orchids
After leaving Hakgala you will visit Isthripura through Welimada. It is the famous exotic cave which contains the picturesque cascading waterfall that was in existence 2000 years ago. It is said that within this cave, Sita was imprisoned with over 1500 women to attend to her every need. After the brief visit to this exotic cave, you will proceed to Welimada and visit Divurumpola temple. This Vihara was established in 6th A.D. Polonnaruwa period, but boasts of a long history among people of having been started in the time of Rama, Ravana and Sita. This holy haven is said to be place where Sita performed her Agni Pariksha (proving her chastity) to her husband Rama and is still revered by thousands. For thousands of years villagers of this place have been continuing the practice of pledging their fidelity or taking oaths here. From here you will proceed to Bandarawela. On the way you will visit Ella which is a small mountain near Bandarawela and boasts of three locations related to Ramayana citing as the places where Ravana hid Sita. On reaching Bandarawela, you will be checked-in to the splendid Bandarawela Hotel which was built during the colonial period. Overnight stay will be at the hotel in Bandarawela.
Day 04: Bandarawela - Wattala / Seeduwa
Next morning after enjoying breakfast at Bandarawela Hotel, you will proceed to Colombo via Ratnapura and Sitawaka, Avissawella. Ratnapura literally meaning "City of Gems" is famous for the precious stones. You will be visiting a gem mine and a museum. You will also visit Sitawaka, situated near Avissawella on a tributary of the Kelani Ganga. Upon reaching Colombo, you will be accommodated in a good hotel. Next, you will be taken for sightseeing & shopping tour of Colombo. Despite being one of the fastest growing cities, it still contains several places that have retained their old world charm. Some of the examples of its rich colonial era are a 100-year-old clock tower and several British built colonial buildings. Other places of tourist interest include a Hindu and a Buddhist temple, stately homes of the rich people, the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH).
For shopping at Colombo, you can visit ODEL Shopping Mall, House of Fashion and Noritake, a ceramic showroom. Later in the day, you will be transferred from Colombo to Kelaniya. In the Kelaniya, you will visit the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya which was built in the 3rd century B.C. This historical temple was one of three places visited by the Buddha during his visits to Sri Lanka. Kelaniya is the place where the traditional Sinhala pottery is mainly based. In the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara Temple, there is a special shrine dedicated to Vibushana, King Ravana's brother, who helped Rama in the struggle of rescuing his wife, Sita. It is believed that even during the Ravana regime, Vibushana was in charge of Kelaniya. From Kelaniya you will be transferred to Wattala / Seeduwa. You will be checked-in to a hotel where you will stay overnight.
Day 05: Wattala / Seeduwa - Chilaw - Colombo
After a lip smacking breakfast at the hotel you will proceed towards Chilaw. On the way, you will visit Muneeshwaram which has an interesting legend associated with it. It is said that after wining the battle, Lord Rama left for Ayodhya in one of King Ravana's vimana. He was being followed by bramhaasthi dosham as he had killed King Ravana who was a Brahmin. At this point, Lord Rama felt that at this juncture, "Brahmaasthi Dosham" was not following him, so he stopped the vimana here. He ascended from the vimana and asked the God Shiva for a remedy. God Shiva blessed him and advised to install and pray four lingams at Manavari, Thiru Koneshwaram, Thiru Ketheshwaram and Rameshwaram in India, as the only remedy to get rid of the dosham. Next, you will move further to visit Manavari, which is the first place where Lord Rama installed and prayed the Siva lingam after the end of the war with king Ravana. From Chilaw, you will be transferred to Colombo. On reaching Colombo, you will be escorted to a hotel where you will stay overnight.
Day 06: Departure
Next morning after breakfast, you will be taken to Colombo Airport where our representatives would help you board a flight for your onward destination.
